Una ballata bianca

A woman is standing in a deserted Italian landscape. She is holding a white veil in her hands. Facing her is a stork that is gazing into her eyes. These images form a prelude to this poetic, experimental feature about life, love and death. Or, as the maker puts it, a cinematographic journey of words and images, about isolation, childhood, decay and death.
An elderly couple, together for many years, live in an apartment. Their life develops like an old record player: slow and repetitive. The couple moves silently in a strict choreography through their quiet house. In a voice-over, we hear their thoughts and their memories. The woman is incurably ill and is preparing in silence for the inevitable farewell. Approaching death blows through the house, where daylight is avoided. Words are no longer able to express real meanings. The presence of death makes every individual action between the old couple both important and final.
In the leading roles we see Carmela and Nicola Lanci, both 80, and the young actress Simona Senzacqua – a beautiful symbiosis between professional and non-professional actors. The music is provided by the renowned Italian composer Carlo Crivelli, who worked with the Tavianis and Zhang Yuang. The script of the film is inspired by a play by the Dutch writer Kees Roorda. (SdH)

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